Browns Trying To Lower Peyton Hillis’s Asking Price?

Bud Shaw of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that the Cleveland Browns are certainly in no rush to get a deal done with RB Peyton Hillis. Instead it would seem as though they are looking for ways to lower his asking price.

Last week the Hillis missed the game because of an illness and has had a number of injuries in years past which has led the team to limit his carries this season unlike last year. Montario Hardesty is also helping their leverage as his success will leave them less dependent upon Hillis and his offensive production. Then again an injury to Hardesty would do the exact opposite.

Considering that Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson and DeAngelo Williams all received massive deals in the last few months, the Browns know that Hillis’s representation is going use those contracts as a way to peg Hillis’s value even if him he comes up short of either players total value. Thanks to the fact that they were able to re-sign OT Joe Thomas, Cleveland has a franchise tag sitting there with Hillis’s name on it if a deal isn’t reached by the time free agency is underway. Add in the fact that Hillis plays running back and it seem’s like he actually has only a little leverage in the situation despite being the teams best offensive weapon.